MHC Life with Barbara Parnell

Tell us a bit about you and your career journey to MHC – what inspired you to get into this career?

Back in 2007, after years of procrastination, I found myself with a PhD in law, and no more excuses to delay job-hunting! Having taken a leap of faith passing the New York Bar, I joined the Irish fund administration arm of a US bank. That began a 15 year career helping domestic and international banks with their financial crime compliance and regulatory change programmes. When the pandemic hit, like many, I started to reflect about what I wanted from my career in the longer term. This eventually led me to my current role as FS knowledge lawyer, joining Mason Hayes & Curran in January 2023. My role allows me to put my legal training to use while tapping into the regulatory and market knowledge I built up in the world of banking. While the pandemic was not without its challenges, I’m grateful for the chance to hit reset and plan a career pivot.

Career highlight?

As someone in a new firm, role and sector, I’m definitely more focused these days on what lies ahead. That said, a few years back, I took home The Compliance Institute’s Niall Gallagher prize for an article on compliance culture. I also had the chance to present to senior leaders in New York about good practices in banking compliance.

Talk us through a typical day for you

The morning usually finds me in catch-up mode. It’s amazing how much can change overnight in the world of banking! Important regulatory and market developments are tracked and incorporated into written or verbal updates to the Financial Services practice groups. I usually spend some time each day working with our excellent knowledge team on centralised projects, answering queries from fee earners, supporting trainees, coordinating training, and processing Financial Services know how. I work closely with my fellow Financial Services knowledge lawyer Allison – we’re a tight team and together, we do our best to offer a seamless service to our colleagues in Financial Services.

If I wasn’t a knowledge lawyer, I would be...

If I wasn’t a Knowledge lawyer, in another life, I would work in the arts. I love all things creative – writing, drawing and playing a few instruments. I’m also a huge consumer of music, love discovering new artists and am a big fan of the Dublin theatre scene. Among my friends, I’m known for my unnatural love of the musical Hamilton and take some (very unfair) ribbing for my love of rap music.

Favourite quote?

“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere” – Erma Bombeck

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